


Mechanics need to think with their heart

by lilybug98979



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Awesome Phil Coulson, Deaf Character, Deaf Clint Barton, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, I Don't Even Know, I'm Bad At Tagging, Insecure Tony, M/M, Multi, No Smut, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Protective Rhodey, Protective Steve, Running Away, Steve Needs a Hug, Tony Has Issues, Touch-Starved, Touch-starved Bruce, What Was I Thinking?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 09:02:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5157986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilybug98979/pseuds/lilybug98979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started with a joke.  Just Tony being his usual smart-ass self.</p><p> </p><p>One chapter per relationship....</p><p> </p><p>8-20-17 THIS WORK HAS BEEN ABANDONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Steve and Tony

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic so please be gentle. Comments and kudos are much appreciated! It is unbetad though so feel free to let me know if there's something I need to fix. Con-crit only please. I do not own Marvel or any of its movies. This is for enjoyment only.
> 
>  
> 
> UPDATE: 11-9-15. Hey guys. Sorry I haven't updated in a couple days. I've just come out to my parents as bi and I've been having panic attacks so please bear with me. I'll try to get more written when I can focus. Much love and thanks!

Tony and the rest of the Avengers had just returned from a particularly difficult fight with a sorcerer plagued by ideas of world domination. They had spent several hours fending off enchanted objects and strange visions so they were all quite exhausted. The Avengers all knew to leave Tony alone to recuperate after such a day but Steve was Steve and he always made sure his team was ok. Clint and the others all appreciated the concern, even if it exasperated them sometimes but Tony had this thing where only he could look after himself. Steve would never admit it but it made his chest ache every time the door to Tony's workshop slammed in his face. 

 

Tony collapsed into his chair, waving off Dum-E's concerned beeping. He wasn't really in the mood to coddle his robot, especially considering the hell he'd just been through.  
JARVIS broke the calm though, announcing "Captain Rogers has requested entry, sir. I think perhaps he should be allowed in."  
Tony turned with a groan to see the blond super solder standing, still in his blood-marred uniform, with a plate of food and a first aid kit. Tony sighed and gestured Steve in, cursing his dad yet again for picking the nicest person ever to be America's sweetheart.  
Steve took one look at the obviously exhausted man and said in a rush, "I know you like to be alone after a battle but I thought I'd bring you these so that you wouldn't have to get them yourself and it's my fault you're hurt so maybe let me help fix you up and I'll go."  
Tony just stared. He knew he had a habit of speaking without breathing but that was quite a feat, considering that the other man had managed to look sheepish, shy, and distraught simultaneously.  
Steve seemed to take his silence for rejection because his face fell and he turned to leave, quietly murmuring "Nevermind" as he left.  
Tony was in shock but he snapped out of it when the smell of the food reached him. He grabbed it and began eating mechanically but froze when he realized just what it was.  
His favorite pasta dish, made just the way he loved it. The way his mother had made it for special occasions when he was young. Tears filled the lonely man's eyes as bittersweet memories flooded him.  
Tony managed to swallow and started to wonder how Steve would've known how to make the dish like that. He cast a suspicious glance towards one of the many cameras around the room and asked JARVIS, "How did he know?"  
He didn't bother to specify because he knew JARVIS would understand.  
JARVIS replied, "He asked that I prepare your favorite meal for your return."  
"When?"  
"Not long after he notified me to prepare the medical wing for the team, sir. He seemed rather worried about your welfare, sir."  
Tony shook his head, not really understanding why the captain would be anxious. JARVIS interrupted his thinking with a quiet, "I believe he cares about you, sir. The whole team does but perhaps he more than the others."  
Tony simply blinked, so surprised was he that someone actually cared for his well-being.

Steve walked away from the workshop, telling himself not to be disappointed in the lack of response from Tony. Instead, he berated himself for allowing Tony to be injured in the first place.  
Iron Man and Captain America had been fighting back to back, which had become increasingly common. Tony made a smart remark about the intelligence of the sorcerer and Steve had been distracted just long enough that he wasn't able to block the massive piece of rubble that flew through the air towards them. Tony had lain there, silent except for the creaking of the suit as it folded from the weight of the chunk of reinforced concrete.  
Steve had never been so terrified in his life. 

Steve was so preoccupied with mentally yelling at himself that he walked straight into Bucky. He caught himself with a quiet yelp that was not at all unmanly.  
"What's the matter, Stevie? Thinking about your boyfriend?" His best friend teased with a smirk.  
Steve flushed and muttered, "Shut up jerk."  
Bucky simply grinned, ruffled Steve's hair, and walked away.  
Steve dragged himself to room, trusting JARVIS to have a shower started for him as per his usual request. 

After washing the blood and grime from the battle from his weary body, Steve sat on his bed and began wrapping his still-healing injuries. The broken bones would be healed by morning but he still slept better when they had the support of an ace bandage. The cuts had sealed up for the most part so he left those alone. He was so focused on fixing himself up that he didn't notice that Tony had joined him until he heard a gasp.

Steve whipped around, trying not to wince when his ribs cried out in protest of the movement.  
"Tony...."  
"You're hurt. Why aren't you in the medical wing? I know I'm in bad shape but this is a bit much Cap. Come on. At least I had the suit to protect me, " Tony said, eyes roving over the soldier's battered form.  
Steve flushed in embarrassment as Tony stared at his shirtless form. He didn't particularly care that Tony was seeing him half naked. No, what both bothered and surprised Steve was how Tony was looking at him.  
Tony was looking at him like he was a four course meal and he was dying of hunger.  
Steve had never before been looked at like that. Even after the serum, people had kept their glances less heated. Slowly, Steve turned back around and dug around in his dresser for a shirt. Tony harrumphed and made himself comfortable on the bed, waiting for Steve to start talking. 

Tony couldn't believe he hadn't noticed how hurt Steve was.

He had been so focused on making it to his lab without collapsing that he hadn't seen how carefully Steve had been holding himself. 

Steve settled cautiously on the bed next to Tony, moving slowly in hopes of causing less pain. Tony watched him, his eyes concerned and his body tense. 

"Alright Cap, start talking," Tony said once Steve had relaxed. 

"What do you want me to say Tony? I don't know what you want," the blond replied wearily, rubbing a hand across his eyes. 

"How about you start with how you think it's your fault that I was hurt. And then tell me why you instructed JARVIS to have my mom's pasta made," the mechanic said quietly. 

Steve sighed and began talking. He told Tony how his little quip about the sorcerer had distracted him and how he should have blocked the mass of rubble that hurtled towards Tony. How he was useless to help Tony for fear of hurting him worse. Then he went on to tell Tony how he had JARVIS tell him about Tony and the others so that he could try to be a good leader to them. Steve especially focused on learning about any triggers for the team. They had all been through too much to not have them so Steve learned as many as he could to try to avoid them. 

Through it all, Tony sat still and silent. He stared at Steve, his thoughts were chaotic at the best of times but his mind was calm as he listened to the super soldier speak. 

"I just want to be good enough to lead you all. It's my job to protect the team," Steve finished. 

"Wait a minute. Who's gonna protect you then? We are a team, Rogers. We protect each other. Stop being so self-sacrificing. I-We appreciate it but you can't do everything," Tony said, eyes blazing. 

"I lost Bucky because I couldn't 'do everything'. I can't go through that again," Steve said, blue eyes suspiciously bright. 

Tony was forced to remember that for all the years Steve had been alive, he was still so young. He had lost so much, been basically transported to a completely different era, and here Tony was yelling at him for trying to protect people he cared about. 

"I know, big guy. It's just, you don't have to do everything. I don't need you to hover over me just because I got a few bumps and bruises, " Tony murmured. 

Steve flinched back like he had been slapped. Tony realized how that could be taken after Steve had basically poured his heart out to him but the damage was done. Steve's face became blank and his eyes emotionless. He stood up and left the room, leaving Tony on the bed wondering how to fix what he had done.

Steve avoided Tony for the next week, refusing to meet his eyes when they were in the same room and changing directions if they were in the same hallway. He kept his body hunched whenever they had to be in the same room as if he was waiting for someone to hit him. He flinched whenever Tony spoke and didn't speak at all himself. The giant blond practically reeked of misery but Tony was no better. 

It took two days for Rhodey and Bucky to plan to get their best friend's heads out of their asses.

They weren't expecting the results however. 

***

Steve couldn't believe he'd let himself get so close to Stark. He'd let his guard down enough to show how much he cared and what happened? It was thrown back in his face with barely concealed disgust. He knew he was probably overdoing the whole "avoid the problem until it goes away" thing but he couldn't stand to see Stark anymore, how his eyes lit up when he was speaking about one of his inventions and his hands flailed as he chartered. It hurt too much.

Tony tried not to let it get to him when Rogers damn near ran away from him whenever he spoke. He really did try. But he couldn't help the hurt that roiled through him every time the blond refused to so much as look at him. Tony wanted to badly to fix what had happened but Steve wouldn't give him a chance. The only time Steve would speak to Tony was during a mission when they were Captain America and Iron Man, not two men trying to hide away their feelings. 

***

"Buck, what are you doing?" Steve asked his best friend wearily, following him through the maze of hallways.  
"You'll see, Stevie," Bucky replied with a twinkle in his eye.  
He pushed open a door and shoved Steve through it, slamming it behind him and commanding JARVIS to keep it locked until otherwise stated. Steve turned to look at the room but froze when he saw Tony by the far wall. He plastered the fakest smile he'd be able to manage on and said, "Mr. Stark."

Tony winced at the title. It had been quite a while since Steve had spoken in such a formal way with him that it made his chest hurt to hear it now. 

"Steve, will you let me speak please? You don't have to say anything, just let me get this out and then we can go back to pretending the other doesn't exist," Tony mumbled. 

Steve simply watched him through his eyelashes, head bowed and shoulders hunched in a little. 

"Right. Ok. Um, so.....I just want you to know that I didn't mean to offend you when I said...what I said. We do need you but not as a leader all the time. It'd be nice to just see you as Steve Rogers, not Captain America. I- I mean we, need you more than you realize. I know you've lost a lot of people but everyone has. And I know that that probably won't make you feel any better but it's the truth. We are all broken but we heal each other and it's not fair to the rest of the team for us to be like this. I know it might take a while for you to trust me but please, will you try?" Tony spoke quietly at first but his voice grew in volume and emotion until he was practically sobbing at Steve. 

Steve was silent throughout the whole speech. Tony looked up at him to see the other man wiping tears from his face. He wanted so badly to go to Steve and hold him but he didn't know how well it'd be received. Instead, he opted for a barely-audible "You ok?"

Steve gave him a watery smile, a little pained but genuine nonetheless. "Yeah. I just wasn't expecting you to want to see anything about me except the shield. That's all anyone has ever wanted from me. I'd like to try, but you're right. I won't be able to trust you for a while."

Tony let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and nodded, relieved that Steve hadn't tried to avoid what he had said. 

"So, do you....wanna go get something for lunch? My treat," Tony asked hopefully.  
"Sure. Um.....where to?"  
"Shwarma sounds good. How about that?"

"I've never had it. What is it?" Steve asked somewhat suspiciously.  
"It's kind of like a Greek gyro."  
"Your o?"  
Tony laughed at that.  
"Spelled g-y-r-o. It's kind of like a wrap but not really. You'd like it so by default, you'll like shwarma." Tony grinned, pleased that Steve nodded in understanding. 

***

Things were a little easier between them after that. It took a while for Steve and Tony to really be comfortable with each other though. Steve's self-esteem and martyr complex made it difficult for him to get close to anyone, let alone handsome sassy rich guys while Tony had trouble understanding Steve's old-fashioned manners and ideals. 

Two months after the lunch of shwarma, Tony asked Steve out for a real date. He blushed and mumbled a little but the blinding smile and ecstatic agreement he received was worth it. They dressed up and went to a diner from Steve's old neighborhood that'd managed to hang on all this time, Steve quiet and nostalgic for a bit as he spoke with the original owner's grandchildren. 

Steve got the nerve to kiss Tony when they arrived back to the Tower but it turned into a whole lot more. Super soldiers really do have a lot of endurance after all.

They would still have their issues and their arguments but neither man could argue that they didn't love the other.


	2. Bruce and Clint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the whole drama with Steve and Tony, Clint Barton felt that relationships were an unnecessary shitstorm. He didn't believe that he could find someone who felt he was worth the effort and vice versa so he wasn't going to look.  
> That is until he got to know a certain curly-haired scientist. 
> 
> Bruce was used to being alone. He hadn't had people he considered friends since he became the Hulk. He accepted that, even welcomed it because it protected every one around him. Dr Banner was always quiet, simply observing the world around him instead of joining it.  
> He never thought he'd find someone worth joining it for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for the sporadic updates. Inspiration was a little lacking for this chapter. I'll probably update in chunks like I did with chapter 1. This is unbeta-ed so please feel free to let me know if there are any mistakes. Comments and kudos are love!! <3 <3 <3
> 
> Btw, thoughts will have a star before and after them to act as quotation marks
> 
> Update: 1-12-16. Hey all! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. My holiday break was super busy. But I'm back! With feels!!
> 
> Update: 2-25-16. Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I haven't updated! This has been sitting and waiting forever to be posted. I have one last bit for this chapter and then I'm moving on to chapter 3. If I don't update in a couple days, feel free to post long rants about how I need to do that because I feel like I need validation that this isn't crap writing. As always, comments and kudos are love!!
> 
>  
> 
> Update: 6-26-16. Good heavens. It's finally done. Lol. Just finished this last section. As much as I love this pairing, I never thought it'd be this difficult to write. Which means a big hug to anyone who can do it well. I'll try and get started on the next pairing/chapter soon.

A scream woke Clint from his sleep. He and Bruce were the only ones left in the tower as the others had left for a mission.  
"J, who was that?" Clint asked the AI.  
"Dr Banner seems to be experiencing a nightmare, sir."  
Clint frowned. "How often does he have them?"  
"Most nights, sir. The doctor, if you were not aware, seems to be rather guilt-ridden about his actions as the Hulk," JARVIS replied.  
Clint sighed. He hadn't really planned on getting involved in someone's psyche tonight but the faintly concerned tone in the AI's voice told him that he probably should.  
"I'm gonna go out to the common room. Let him know he's welcome to join me for a movie if he wants some company please."  
"Of course, sir."

 

Clint was already halfway through one of the Lord of the Rings movies and mostly back to sleep when Bruce came out to the common room. The other man looked nervous and almost ashamed of wanting company so Clint pretended to be asleep as Bruce crept into the room. 

Bruce had jumped a bit when JARVIS relayed Barton's offer of company. He and Clint hadn't really interacted much before although they had glimpsed each other a bit in the tower. After a little over an hour of meditation, he decided that just hearing someone else's breathing would likely help him so he headed towards the common room. 

Clint rolled over and gave Bruce a sleepy wave once he had settled into a chair. The skittish doctor gave a startled "oh" before offering a sheepish smile. 

"Easy Doc. Just me, 'kay?" Clint mumbled quietly.  
"Sorry, I thought you were asleep. I can go," Banner offered.  
"Nah, I think you could use some company. Feel free to throw a pillow at me or something if I snore though."  
Bruce smiled, genuine this time, and replied, "I may take you up on that."

Half an hour later, Clint was out like a light, snoring quietly. Bruce turned the T.V. off and pulled a blanket over the exhausted archer, whispering good night as he did. The doctor returned to his room and fell asleep thinking of a certain sleepy smile.

Clint and Bruce slowly became friends after that. Well, more like they sat in silence together whenever one of them had nightmares. Bruce learned Clint's favorite coffee for after a bad night and Clint learned that Bruce knew ASL, which delighted him to no end. The two were an unlikely duo. The rest of the team were a bit surprised at the friendship but pleased nonetheless. 

Clint jerked awake, an echoing shout ringing in his ears. He had forgotten to take his hearing aids out, which was quickly becoming a habit as Bruce often had debilitating nightmares. There was no quiet padding on sock-clad feet so Clint hauled himself out of bed and set out for Bruce's room. The sight that greeted him practically broke his heart. 

Bruce, the brilliant scientist who sometimes became the Hulk, was curled up on the floor by his bed. Silent sobs wracked his body. Clint had no idea what to do. So he simply rolled with it.

"Doc? Bruce? You need to sit up and breathe," Clint mumbled, kneeling by the shaking man. 

Bruce didn't respond, just gasped a little for breathe. After a moment, he seemed to realize that he wasn't alone and he flinched away from Clint. Clint tried not to be hurt by the fear in Banner's eyes, a little surprised at the doctor. 

"Bruce? It's me, Clint. Come on Doc, let's calm you down. Breathe with me," the archer said quietly, breathing slowly to convince the man to calm down. 

Bruce began breathing shallowly, trying to match the rhythm Clint had set. After several minutes, he had calmed down considerably.  
"Sorry," Bruce whispered hoarsly, eyes downcast and voice ashamed.  
"Nothing to worry about, man. You need to talk about these dreams with someone you know," Clint replied.  
"No! I-I can't. They'll say I'm unfit to be on the team and I won't be able to---" Bruce said frantically, panicked at the thought of not being there to help if he was needed.  
"Now that's ridiculous. You will always be a part of the team Doc," Clint interrupted, reassuring Banner.  
He patted Bruce on the shoulder but pulled back when the other man made a whining noise.  
"Bruce?"  
"Sorry. I'm ok. It's nothing," he replied, hiding his face in his arms.  
Clint thought about how Bruce had whined and leaned into his touch and realized what had happened.  
Bruce was touch-starved, horribly so and likely self-imposed.  
"Bruce, when was the last time someone hugged you?"  
"Um......I don't actually remember," the other man said reluctantly.  
"Come here," Clint said, pulling Bruce into his arms.

Bruce sat there, stiff as a board and terrified that Clint only pitied him. *What a fool I am, thinking he'd want to hold me.*  
"You're thinking too loud. Calm down. It's ok, Bruce. Just let me hold you."

And with that, Bruce melted. He leaned against Clint, pressing his face against the other man's neck and soaking up his warmth. He let himself be held, needed it really. 

Clint was a little out of his depth here. He had no idea how to react to the trembling man in his lap so he just hugged him close and petted his hair. "Whenever you want this, you know where to find me. I won't push you away," Clint mumbled.  
Bruce just whined and began crying again. It had been so long since he'd had this much contact with another person that Clint promising to never push him away was a little overwhelming.

For three days after his breakdown, Bruce avoided Clint. He desperately wanted to go to him, to just let himself be near the other man, but he was terrified. He didn't want Clint to feel obligated to hug him and he also didn't want to be so overwhelmed that the Other Guy came out for a visit. Bruce has done many things that he has regretted but hurting Clint was something that he dreaded. The archer didn't give the scientist a choice on the fourth day however.

Clint sighed as Bruce scurried away from him yet again. He missed his friend and he didn't know what he had done to make him so afraid. But he wanted to fix things. So he followed Bruce down to his lab, intent on talking to the other man. Bruce managed to slip away however, going into one of the many side hallways. Clint just went on to the lab, sure that he would be there soon. The sight that greeted him there reminded him of the night he'd held the broken man. 

Bruce was curled up on his little couch in his lab, holding an old purple shirt of Clint's to his chest and obviously trying not to cry. He whimpered the archer's name over and over again, pressing the shirt to his face. He went completely still when he saw Clint though. 

"S-Sorry. I'll wash it and give it back," he mumbled, setting the shirt down on the cushion carefully. He avoided looked at the agent, sure that he'd see disgust in his eyes.  
"Don't worry about it. Although, why do you have it?"  
Bruce flushed and whispered, "It smells like you. I didn't want to bother you and I saw this earlier and I just....I don't even know."

Clint gave the man a sad smile and settled down on the couch, pulling him down to lay with him. 

Bruce held his breath as Clint pulled them down onto the couch, Bruce laying on top of the other man. He wanted so badly to press his face into Barton's neck and breathe him in, to let the sound of his heartbeat calm him but he wouldn't allow himself. 

Until Clint said, "I haven't been able to sleep worrying about you. Just relax and nap with me," guiding Banner's head down onto his chest. 

That nap was the best either one of them had slept in a very long time. 

Things settled down after that. Bruce quickly found himself always under Clint's arm or attached to his side. And he loved it. He was still starved for touch but Clint was determined to change that. The archer often pulled him close for naps or hugs or even just to wrap an arm around his waist. 

Steve and Tony were too busy making eyes at each other to notice to budding intimacy but the rest of the team certainly noticed. Bucky and Natasha actually had a bet on who would kiss the other first.

They likely wouldn't have if not for Thor's visit to the Tower. 

The Norse god had a habit of turning up out of the blue, saying something that sounded important but actually wasn't, and then disappearing for a while. Only, he didn't have anything important for this visit. 

"Am I not allowed to visit with my brothers- and sisters-in-arms," he asked Tony when demanded what was wrong. He turned the full kicked-puppy look on Tony and the guy melted, offering his rooms back to him if he was planning on staying for a while. 

Things....were different with Thor at the Tower. Clint seemed almost...protective of Bruce. Like he thought Thor would hurt him or steal him away. Not that Bruce really minded the behavior. It just meant Clint was closer than ever. 

It all came to a head one Friday morning when the whole team was actually home for once. Steve and Tony were practically in each other's laps while Thor told stories of Asgard. Natasha, Bucky, and Sam were sitting in a corner talking quietly but still listening and Rhodey and Pepper were listening avidly to Thor. Bruce and Clint were on their usual spot on the couch, the former tucked under the latter's arm and into his side. 

Thor stopped speaking when he noticed the pair and looked at them curiously.  
"Congratulations on your union, my friends. I would have brought gifts had I known," he called to them, voice booming.  
Bruce flinched and looked terrified. Clint just looked surprised.  
"We aren't together," came Bruce's timid voice.  
Thor frowned at him.  
"But of course you are. You seem very close."  
Clint looked down at Bruce and shrugged, although there was a hint of something in his eyes.  
"We're just friends."  
Bruce looked more and more upset as Thor continued to watch them. Clint let him go when he clambered up, knowing the other man would want to meditate to calm himself down. 

Clint found him a few hours later in his room. The two had become comfortable enough with each other to share a bed so it wasn't an unusual sight for Clint. But it made something rear up in his chest that he pushed down for the sake of his sanity and his friend.  
"What's wrong?"  
Bruce mumbled into the pillow.  
"You know I can't hear when you do that, buddy."  
His hands flopped out and he began signing furiously. But the words weren't filled with anger.  
They were filled with pain and desperation.

^I don't want to be just your friend. I love you Clint. I know I'm a mess and that I'm pathetic. I can't breathe sometimes when I see you but then you touch me and everything is clear and good. I'm know I'm ruining everything by telling you this but I can't keep it to myself any more. I love you. And you don't love me.^

Bruce tore himself away from the bed and ran past Clint, not daring to look him in the eye. Clint just stood there, shocked beyond belief and desperately hoping that Bruce had meant what he had said. 

That he loved him.

Bruce left Stark Tower after his confession. Clint had Tony and the others searching for him constantly but the reclusive scientist had grown adept at hiding from those who wished to find him. The archer quickly became withdrawn and irritable after Bruce's departure. He refused to talk about anything except finding Bruce and how he needed to fix things. None of them realized how close the bereft man actually was. 

After he left, Bruce knew that Tony at the very least would look for him. The mechanic seemed to take "Science-Bros" literally. Dr. Banner couldn't exactly get a job since he has no legal ID and was in fact a wanted fugitive in many countries so he took to the streets. He became quite familiar with the sewer tunnels and back alleys of New York. It was only by chance that Bucky found him at all. 

 

The former assassin was wandering a quiet neighborhood when he spotted a familiar head of dark curly hair. Bucky didn't call after him but he did follow the quiet man, needing to find where he had been hiding so that he could let Barton know. 

The two walked for over an hour, Bucky catching faint murmurs from the obviously mal-nourished loner. His heart constricted in his chest as he heard Banner repeat "not good enough for him" and "hates me now anyway." A tear slipped down the silent follower's face when he heard "Why does it have to hurt so much?"

Their destination seemed to be a poorly-lit dead end in a seedy neighborhood in Manhattan. The stench of garbage and refuse permeated the air and soggy, mold-covered cardboard boxes lined the walls. Bucky left immediately, rushing back to the Tower so that Clint could come find Bruce. 

 

The scientist had spent the day looking for something to eat the day he returned to the Tower. He was shuffling back into his makeshift shelter, watching his feet, when he heard a familiar voice say, "I guess I should've brought some Febreeze as a house-warming gift."

Banner's head jerked up so fast, he would later be surprised he didn't give himself whip-lash. There Clint was, leaning up against a wall like he did this sort of thing every day. Panic and fear made Bruce's pulse thunder in his ears. He realized his jaw had dropped and closed his mouth with a click. 

Clint's eyes softened and his voice was softer still when he said, "Come home, Bruce. We miss you- I miss you. You left before I could say anything. You think I don't love you, that it doesn't destroy me that you think you deserve to stay in this shit-hole? Come home, we'll figure this out. I'll....I'll stay away if that's what you want." 

At that, Clint looked pained. And it made his eyes sting when he heard Bruce's hoarse voice say, "I'm allowed to come back?" 

Clint choked back a sob and whispered, "Always. You will always have a home with us." 

The other man seemed anxious but he nodded and started walking towards the Tower. Clint didn't offer his motorcycle. He didn't think Bruce would be comfortable being that close to him again so soon. 

 

Everyone was waiting when they got back to the Tower. Clint walked in first, smiling. Bruce followed, curling in on himself to look smaller. He keep his eyes downcast and didn't notice the looks of relief that all of his family had. Banner couldn't ignore the way Barton's body lost all its tension though. 

"Brucie-Bear, don't you dare leave like that again."

Tony's voice cracked a little as he demanded. Similar statements echoed throughout the common room. Even JARVIS piped up with a solemn "Welcome home, sir."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that any of you would be this upset," the doctor whispered. 

Clint groaned and replied, "Sam, could you could something up for us? Dr. Banner and I need to go have a very long talk." 

As the airman assented, Clint and Bruce walked to a more private room. 

 

Settled into comfortable chairs and with the promise of food in the near future, Bruce relaxed a little bit. Having everyone watching him was nerve-wracking to say the least. 

"Now what's this about you thinking we wouldn't be upset that you left?"

Bruce hesitated before answering, like he thought that Clint would yell at him for speaking. 

"I'm not important so it makes no sense to me. I can't understand why a group of unique, talented, and heroic people would miss selfish, scrawny little me. The only thing I'm good at is wrecking things as the Hulk."

"There are so many things wrong with that so I'm gonna move and come back to it later."

"Oh. Um. Okay." 

Clint sighed. "I want you to talk to me. I want to know what is going on in your head and how you feel about things. I need to know whether you do love me." The 'or not' went unspoken. 

Bruce just stared at Clint, tears in his eyes. Then he took a deep breath as if steeling himself for pain and began to speak. 

"I do love you. More than I ever thought possible. I'm terrified and I have no idea what I'm doing. I want nothing more than to stay here with you and the team but I don't think I deserve that kind of life. I'm starving and exhausted and yet just being near you gives me a sense of energy and purpose. I'm pathetic in my dependency on you and I can't bring myself to hate you for doing that because you have also saved me." 

With tears streaming down his face, Clint slid off his chair and to Bruce's feet. He rested his forehead against Banner's knee and said, "Please. Let me spend my life working to be worthy of you. I love you. And you are everything to me." 

 

The road that their relationship took was filled with bumps and hairpin turns, but it was well worth the journey. Three years later, the rings exchanged at their wedding were inscribed with "You are my everything."


End file.
